Time

Many years ago I learned that there was no such thing as just 5 minutes in the garden. Time is liquid in the garden: it stretches out from plant to plant like little golden bridges, inviting me to come look over here and over here and over here until eventually, inevitably, it stretches thin and my sense of “normal time” reasserts itself and that “Uh-Oh” feeling flips in my stomach.

That is what happened last month. I got an email from Marcia asking politely “Did you send me your column?” and I had to confess – I was on Garden Time, a cousin to Island Time and India Time. I was caught up in the clay pots and raised beds that comprise my current garden. What a joy to be so fully absorbed in pleasure that time just ran right by me without even noticing me bent over among my plants.

Today I ate kale, peas, chard, lettuce and basil from my garden. I feel a certain connectedness to my food when I harvest it, wash it, prepare it and eat it. I feel connected to the plants, to my efforts raising the plants, to the soil and the compost I made all last year to feed these plants. I feel connected to my memories of my father and me filling up the little red wagon with produce and pulling it home. I feel connected to his life and his ancestors’ lives as farmers on the land. I feel connected to the land, to the planet, to the sun and to the Great Whatever in humble and respectful ways. It is good to feel this connection so deeply.

I know people who have this experience while quilting, painting, making photographs, doing yoga, singing, praying, dancing, making love. It is sacred to experience transcendence in daily life. It is one of the gifts we are given, to remind us of the bigger picture of Life.

May you have many deep and healing experiences of the Transcendent this summer. May you find connection with yourself that is healing and joyful. May you find peace.